Displacement Maps

One thing that I have noticed when I am modeling is that I do not really like using bump mapping and textures. I like to physically make the creases in the clothes and just add color to it through a material. For example, in my recent project, I sculpted those creases in the crystals because I felt that I had more control over it and could better visualize it if it was already there both rendered and unrendered. So, on Instagram, I have found a lot of posts that show realistic humans and then pictures of those models unrendered. In the unrendered photo, you can see all the details on the skin and the clothes already there, but to model all this is definitely impossible, so I wanted to figure out how they do it. That is how I found displacement maps. In this blogpost I am going to discuss how to create these and include tests so I can see what I can and cannot do.

 I have based my tutorial on this video:






Tutorial:
I am using this picture of my carpet to create this tutorial displacement map.


First, your model needs to have geometry so subdivide if needed

Next, add the displacement modifier

Next, in the textures tab make sure it is on displace and not brush or brush mask

Then, add a texture and import your image
*in my custom texture brushes I mentioned that the image needed to be black and white. I believe that this is the same for these displacement maps.*

Then, in the modifiers tab adjust the strength to change the look of the map
Before:

After:

Next, if you want more detail, add a subdivision surface modifier
*this needs to be above the displacement modifier*


Tests:
Making the Texture Black, White and Grey:


Not as graphic of a change as black and white, so I should be including greys in the texture. This means I should use greyscale rather than just black and white in ibis PaintX.

Color Textures:


 Colored Images do work, this makes the whole process much easier since it removes a step in between.

Two Different Textures on One Object:


You can only have one displacement map at a time on a mesh in blender render, so the only way I can think of doing this in blender render is by making them separate objects and adding the separate meshes to them.

Complicated Images:


It works, but it does not look too good.

It only looks good when the strength is down really low which I do not think will be that helpful. Work Log:
Monday:Blogpost
Tuesday:Blogpost
Wednesday:Blogpost
Thursday:Worked on mother
Friday:worked on son

Marking Period 1 Blogpost(Photos Fixed Hopefully)

Intention Definition & Exploration of Ideas:
This year, I decided to continue my theme from last year which was looking inward. This year, I wanted to continue making art that expressed an emotion or thought involving an emotion. I wanted to do this using a character and having a wide range of objects surrounding the character like a collage because I have been interested in art like that lately. For my first piece, I was inspired by my inability to make a decision. When forced to make a decision, I usually ask the magic 8 ball, flip a coin, or pick a number. So working off of that I was thinking of doing a piece that involves ignoring the inevitable by relying on these little things and horoscopes to tell you that it will not happen. Kind of like not feeling prepared for a test and rather than studying asking a magic 8 ball if you’ll be fine without studying. For my second piece it is much easier to explain. It is basically being pressured by parents and every move you make basically being like taking a gamble.
Planning:
When planning for the magical piece, I knew that I wanted to use darker colors like blue, purple and black because they are like supernatural colors to me. I also knew I wanted to portray the positivity/naivety of this idea by having the character wear rose-colored glasses along with a pink light shine on the characters face from the phone. I also planned that I wanted these fortunes to be a magic 8 ball, fortune cookies, crystals, and tarot cards aligned in a way to show the challenges that are holding the character back in the present. For the family piece, I have recently done research on how to illustrate people to look older and younger so I could make the age difference between my characters be more obvious. I also looked into the specific clothing I wanted to wear so I could make a game plan for how I wanted to make them in blender. Lastly, I found this way to hair with just hair textures which creates an old game hairstyle look but I for some reason liked when testing it out.

Producing:

 For this piece I decided to draw the character rather than model it which proved to move my work flow along more quickly considering I finished this in two weeks. I decided that I really liked the drawing I made to plan the character out so I decided to layer that on top of the digital drawing and use both. I modeled most of the background pieces and rendered those and then basically did the rest of my work in ibis PaintX.

 For this piece, I decided to model the characters which has proven to take more time than just drawing them, but I felt that modeling them would make it look better with the details. After getting the models done I noticed that they looked stiff, so I spent more time focusing on that to make sure that it looks like how I envisioned it. I also haven’t gotten to do the hair yet because I do not want to use a hair strand from the internet, but I have been having trouble creating a hair strand texture. 
Bored/On the Side Work:

 Evaluating:
This marking period I have noticed that drawing the character makes the whole work process go by faster, but makes the character look flatter and less 3D than a 3D model. I am still not sure which one I want to continue with so I am probably just going to do whatever seems more logical with the piece. I also like the collage look in the first piece, but I feel like I could have done more to make it look better even though every time I try to add something it does not look good. For the family pressure piece, I like how I have started to focus less on time and more on how the models look because I do definitely see the quality of the piece go up because of it. I have been switching in and out of rendered view and decided I do not like the 2D look on these models so I think I am going to do something else.

Integrating: In the next marking period, I want to look at artists that do collage work or editing with photoshop and get some inspiration from them so I can improve my collages. I also think I am going to try toon shader in cycles and see how that looks on the models because I do not like how they look right now completely flat. I also think I am going to do a blogpost on photo editing techniques just so I can learn some new tricks that can help me improve my art. I also started playing with pixel art lately and I want to try incorporating that in my art too. Lastly, I am going to have to do research on casinos and gambling stuff as my knowledge is limited.

Work Log:
Monday: no school
Tuesday: Prism Concert
Wednesday: Worked on dad
Thursday: Worked on dad and son
Friday: worked on this blogpost

Pixel Art Research

This week, I discovered that ibis Paint X has also added a couple of brushes that create a pixelated effect. I have always imagined a checkered background and adding those pixels that line up with the background to be kind of the process when it comes to pixel art, but with this brush, I can just draw and the brush will create the effect for me. So this week I had a lot of fun with that.

  

So for this blogpost I am going to review the artist watt.designs and see what techniques he uses to get various effects in his art.

****Research*****
Now after going through some of his art, I noticed that he has been going through a daily prompt to practice his art. Despite the wide variety of prompts, I can still see unity in the way he creates his art and with what he is making his art about. For watt.designs I have noticed his art is either video games/cartoons, or nature which as a result creates a unified look in all his pieces despite following a different prompt for every single one. Also, I have always imagined pixel art to be very simple with little shadows. After looking through this artist’s art I have noticed that this is not the case and that the shadows are really what is building the dimension and character to these pieces.

 

Gradient:
One thing I have trouble figuring out is how to get a nice blend from color to color through pixel art rather than a harsh one color to another. From some of his pieces when he wants to create this effect I noticed he uses a checkered pattern that as a result blends the two contrasting colors. In the case of the fortune cookies, the artist blends the really dark shadows with a milder shadow.



I have also noticed that he uses this same pattern to soften the highlight in a scene like a slug shown below.



I have also noticed that I should not be trying to blend colors every time for pixel art as sometimes the contrast is more beneficial in the art.



Patterns:

I have also noticed that for his more nature-themed artwork that rather trying to include every single blade of grass in a scene the artist just follows a simple pattern that represents grass. He also does this with leaves on a tree. One thing that I have also noticed overall with the artist’s work is that everything is more simplified so rather than focusing all the little details on a lawnmower the artist just gets the general idea of a lawnmower so it is noticeable to the viewer.

Overall, I am enjoying creating pixel art but I do not want to completely abandon what I am doing now and focus on this but rather incorporate this along with my digital drawings and 3D models into my art.


Work Log:
Monday:modeling dad’s clothes
Tuesday:modeling dad’s clothes
Wednesday:modeling mom’s clothes
Thursday:modeling mom’s clothes
Friday:Adding material to models